Northrop f-5

It was developed in the early 1960s ^[4] , based on the Northrop T-38 Talon , a two-seat training supersonic jet aircraft created in the late 1950s.

The aircraft was intended mainly for export to countries that received US military assistance. At different times, was in service with many countries of Europe , Asia , Africa and Latin America , becoming one of the most common combat aircraft in the world. The release of the fighter ceased in 1987. In total, more than 2,000 units were produced. In the US Air Force, fighters were decommissioned in 1990.

• U.S. Navy and US Marine Corps for 2019: 44 F-5N / F (most were purchased in Switzerland in 2006, the other part came from the US Air Force).
• In February 2019, the Navy and the United States Marine Corps ordered Northrop Grumman to repair 44 F-5N / F Tiger-2 fighters. The F-5N / F aircraft remaining in service with the U.S. Navy and the United States Marine Corps are used mainly during exercises, when they depict the aircraft of a potential enemy.
• 2019: currently the aircraft are still used by the military of China, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

• F-5A Freedom Fighter is the serial version of the first F-5 model. The first flight of the prototype took place in 1959, the first production aircraft in 1963. Produced for export.
• F-5B - Double combat training option.
• NF-5A - a single-seat fighter-bomber for the Netherlands Air Force .
• F-5E "Tiger" II - the second generation of the F-5. Sold in 19 countries. 120 aircraft were built in Taiwan under license.
• F-5F is a double version of the F-5. Produced in Taiwan and Canada under license.
• The F-5G is the third generation aircraft for export with a new powerplant and modified wing geometry. Essentially a brand new aircraft. Received the designation F-20 "Tigershark" (Tigershark). The first flight of the prototype took place in 1982. Serially not produced.

Vietnam War

The first cases of combat use of the F-5 occurred during the Vietnam War . On October 23, 1965, a unit armed with them flew across the Pacific Ocean, with two refueling in flight from a KS-135 tanker to Bienhua Base in South Vietnam . Five hours after the arrival of the squadron, its first combat flight was completed. F-5Cs were intensively used to accompany attack aircraft, reconnaissance flights, and strike operations over Vietnam for four months. One F-5 was shot down in December from small arms. Two more planes got hit by Strela MANPADS missiles in engines, but were able to return to base. Later, the Americans continued to test new aircraft; by 1967, nine American F-5s were lost.

Initially, the US government banned the supply of F-5s to South Vietnam due to the fact that South Vietnamese aviation had a very high accident rate. Later, South Vietnam received 120 F-5A / B and RF-5A and at least 118 F-5E to fight the Viet Cong .

Operation of the latest aircraft was given to the South Vietnamese with difficulty, not without incidents. In early 1970, the South Vietnamese RF-5A in Da Nang was planning to conduct a reconnaissance flight over the northern part of South Vietnam, at the very end of the runway, the aircraft stopped engines and it fell into the lake and drowned. As the investigation showed, the F-5 fuel tanks filled the South Vietnamese with plain water. The day before, a tropical storm passed that the tanker filled with water and the South Vietnamese refueled almost all of the aircraft on the take-off line. Another incident occurred in the summer of 1974, after returning from a combat mission, the South Vietnamese pilot F-5A decided to fly over his house in Da Nang, during a flight over the house the F-5 crashed into a lamppost, tore off part of the wing and crashed into a lake nearby and drowned.

In 1973, the United States greatly reduced aid to South Vietnam. If at the beginning of the year the South Vietnamese could make 200 sorties on the F-5 daily, then by the end of the year it was only about 50. In the second half of 1973, an area on which several damaged F-5s and a large number of spare parts were blown up at the Bien Hoa airfield him. When the Americans asked the South Vietnamese what happened, they replied that the Vietnamese made their way to the airport. In reality, the South Vietnamese themselves blew up their planes in protest of the restriction of assistance from the United States ^[5] .

South Vietnamese did not make flights to intercept enemy aircraft until March 1975. There is no information about the air battles with the MiGs, but it is known that at least four RF-5A scouts were shot down over the Ho Chi Minh trail . Several more aircraft were damaged by MANPADS, but were able to return to the airfield. If the South Vietnamese pilot noticed the launch of MANPADS in time, then due to the high maneuverability of the aircraft he could dodge a missile ^[6] .

In April 1975, the South Vietnamese pilot Nguyen Thanh Chang bombed the presidential palace in Saigon on his F-5E, after which he flew to one of the airfields captured by the Viet Cong. The use of captured F-5s by the North Vietnamese in April was noted. On April 28, 1975, South Vietnamese F-5s attempted to engage in aerial combat. On this day, several F-5s flew to intercept five North-Vietnamese A-37 trophy attack aircraft, taking off from Fan Rank and heading towards Tan Son Nat airbase . North Vietnamese planes managed to break through to the air base, the planes first dropped bombs, and then shot the standing aircraft equipment from cannons. As a result, among 11 aircraft destroyed, 3 were F-5s. The South Vietnamese F-5s flying to intercept could not do anything with them and the North Vietnamese in full force returned to the airfield ^{[7] [8]} .

In May, the war ended. A few days before the fall of Saigon, 26 F-5s took off from Da Nang to Utapao's Thai airfield. As the American historian Anthony Tambini recalled, in a single F-5, two or three people sat on their knees to each other. Six people climbed into one of the double F-5s, but when landing due to lack of space the pilot could not use the brake, the plane took off at full speed from the runway and crashed onto a tree, all six died. North Vietnam got 60 F-5A / B and 27 F-5E as trophies ^[9] .

The Vietnamese handed over several captured planes to the USSR , Czechoslovakia, and Poland , where they passed a comprehensive assessment and testing. In the Soviet Union, a series of short-range training battles F-5E were conducted with the MiG-21bis and MiG-23M fighters . Tester V.N. Kandaurov indicates that all of his battles ended in victory for the American aircraft. Although the F-5 won only in melee, against the MiG-23M in the middle distance, the F-5 was helpless in contrast to melee ^[10] . According to V. Markovsky and I. Prikhodchenko, in 18 conducted air battles, the MiG-21bis was never able to hit the tail of an American fighter ^[11] . According to the TsAGI leading military aviation expert V. Ilyin, a conditional aerial battle of F-5A with MiG-21M was organized, F-5A emerged victorious from this battle ^{[12] [13]} .

Now one F-5E is on display at TsAGI (n / a 73-00807), in the aviation museums of Krakow (n / a 73-00852) and Prague (n / a 73-00878) ^[14] .

Third Indo-Pakistani War

Indian pilots noted the use of F-5 by Pakistan .

Rebellion at Kenitra Air Base

On August 16, 1972, pilots of the F-5A of the Moroccan Kenitra air base rebelled and decided to bring down the King’s Boeing 727 . A pair of Freedom Fighters was raised to intercept the airliner. F-5A shot a Boeing from 20 mm cannons and after a Boeing pilot lied to the rebels that the king was dead, they let the damaged airliner land in Rabat-Sale (several passengers were injured during the shelling). But Freedom Fighters themselves were less fortunate, one of them ran out of fuel and crashed, the pilot ejected and was captured by government forces ^[15] . After the landing of the airliner in Rabat-Sale, one F-5 fired rockets and cannons at the airport, 8 civilians were killed and 40 wounded, the king was not injured again. After that, the four F-5 attacked the presidential palace. At this time, the troops remaining loyal to the king blocked the Kenitra air base. The rebellion was crushed ^{[16] [17]} .

War in Western Sahara

The Moroccan Air Force used the F-5 during the long war in the Sahara with Polisario . A total of 57 aircraft of this type were delivered: 20 F-5A, 5 F-5B, 2 RF-5A, 26 F-5E and 4 F-5F. The Moroccan F-5s were used exclusively for attacks on ground targets, and they were modernized for the use of the AGM-65B Maverick and Rockeye bombs. At the end of 1981, the Moroccan army in the Gellta Zemmur region was left almost without air support, after the POLISARIO fighters began to use the Square’s mobile air defense systems delivered by Libya. The USA, after the heavy losses of Moroccan aviation in the battle of Gellta Zemur, carried out the modernization of ten Moroccan F-5s to install the AN / ALE-38 false-target firing units and the provision of ALQ-119 electronic warhead systems.

During the war 16 Moroccan F-5s were shot down, losses for technical reasons are unknown:

• January 21, 1976 F-5A shot down from Strela-2 MANPADS in the Ain Bentili region, the pilot was captured.
• February 25, 1977 F-5A shot down near the garrison of Bozhador, the pilot captured.
• On August 24, 1977, the F-5A was shot down from Strela-2 MANPADS near the Liteyma Fort, in the area of ​​El Aaiun, the pilot was captured.
• February 18, 1978 F-5A shot down near Aguerguer, the fate of the pilot is unknown.
• On June 2, 1978, the F-5A was shot down with a DShK machine gun in the Sken area, the pilot died.
• On June 5, 1978, the F-5A was shot down from Strela-2 MANPADS in the Aum Draig area, and the pilot was captured.
• September 10, 1978 F-5A was shot down from Strela-2 MANPADS in the Khreibichate area, the pilot was captured.
• February 10, 1979 F-5A shot down, s / n 66-09120, the fate of the pilot is unknown.
• February 13, 1980 F-5A shot down in the area of ​​the Bozhador garrison, the pilot captured.
• December 27, 1980 F-5A shot down in the area of ​​Rose Lahyalat, the pilot captured.
• On October 24, 1981, the F-5A was shot down from Strela-2 MANPADS in the area of ​​Gelt Zemmur, the pilot was captured.
• On November 13, 1981, the F-5A was shot down by the Kvadrat SAM in the Gellta Zemmur area, the fate of the pilot is unknown.
• On January 12, 1985, two F-5Es were shot down by the Kvadrat air defense system near the Algerian border, the fate of the pilots is unknown ^[18] .
• On April 26, 1987, the F-5E was shot down by the Kvadrat air defense system ; the pilot died.
• On August 25, 1991, the F-5E was shot down in the Bir Lahlu region, the pilot was captured ^{[19] [20]} .

Ethiopo-Somali War

F-5 aircraft were used during the war in 1977-1978. By the middle of 1977, the Ethiopian Air Force had 35 operational combat aircraft, including 16 F-5A / B / E fighters, 3 Canberra B.Mk.52 bombers, several F-86 fighters and T-28 combat trainers ^[21] .

The opposing Somali side of the Air Force consisted of approximately 66 aircraft: 10 Il-28 bombers, 12 MiG-21 fighters, 44 MiG-17 and MiG-15 fighters ^[22] .

On July 21, 1977, the Somali MiG-21 launched its first strike at an airfield in the Harara region, where the Ethiopian civilian DC-3 was intercepted and shot down. In response, the Ethiopian Air Force deployed all of its F-5A combat-ready fighter aircraft to advanced airbases in Ogaden from July 24 to 25. On July 26, a pair of Ethiopian F-5s in the Harara region attacked a unit of four Somali MiG-21MF. As a result of the morning air battle (this was the first air battle), two MiG-21s were shot down, and two more collided in the air while trying to evade the AIM-9 Sidewinder ( Sidewinder ) rocket fired at them ^[21] .

The Ethiopian Air Force’s first air victory on the F-5 is credited to pilot Bezabih Petros, who shot down the Somali MiG-21MF in this battle. And the Ethiopian Air Force suffered its first F-5 loss even before the official start of the war, when in early 1977 the Dyre-Daua air base suffered a missile attack, as a result one F-5E was destroyed ^[23] .

The Ethiopian Air Force command transferred additional F-5 fighters and a pair of Canberra B.Mk.52 bombers to Ogaden at the Bahir Dar and Dire Daua airbases. Pre-flight training of aircraft was carried out by Israeli specialists. According to some sources, Israeli pilots actively participated in these battles ^[21] .

On earth, the superiority was with the armed forces of Somalia. In August-September, the Ethiopian Air Force lost two F-5A, which were shot down by anti-aircraft fire. According to various estimates, the Somali Air Force lost up to 23 aircraft. Only ten of them related to combat losses. Two MiG-21MFs were shot down in yet another air battle with the F-5 in the area of ​​Kebri Dehar. Two more MiG-21s were lost on August 11 during the attack on the Aisha Ethiopian airbase due to anti-aircraft fire of the S-125 air defense system ^[21] .

At least six F-5s were lost in air battles and from fire from air defense systems ^{[13] [24]} According to Somali data, the loss of Ethiopian F-5s from the start of the war to the defeat of the Ethiopians in Jijig amounted to 12 fighters ^[25] .

Until December 1977, F-5 aircraft performed the functions of a reconnaissance aircraft, and after December, these functions were assigned to the MiG-21R, which arrived from the USSR. Since January 1978, Ethiopian Air Force MiG-21 and F-5 planes began to strike at positions of Somali troops, supply lines and rear depots. Among the first to be attacked was the Somali air base of Hargeisa ^[21] .

By the end of the war, the Somali Air Force had only 12 MiG-21 aircraft and several MiG-17s. According to the Somali leadership, during the hostilities they destroyed more than 50 Ethiopian aircraft, of which 10 F-5 and MiG-21 fighters were shot down by Somali MiG-21s in air battles (presumably 4 on the account of Pakistani pilots), and the rest by Somalia air defense . Ethiopia, from among its F-5 fighters, recognized the loss of only two aircraft. For its part, the Ethiopian leadership announced 23 Somali planes shot down, of which 2 were shot down by S-125 air defense systems and other air defense systems, 10 by F-5 fighters in air battles ^[21] .

After the war ended, the Cubans organized a series of training battles on their MiG-21s against the Ethiopian F-5s. As during the tests in the USSR, success was on the side of the F-5. Cuban general Rafael del Pino also organized F-5 training battles with the MiG-23, the most modern Cuban aircraft of the time. On the Cuban side, two of the best pilots participated, on the Ethiopian side, a randomly selected pilot. According to the results of the battles with the participation of the MiG-23, the Cuban command told del Pino to stop the experiments, since the pilots might have the unfavorable impression that American technology was superior to Soviet ^{[26] [27]} .

Thailand

• On June 11, 1976, insurgents near the village of Hao Ho shot down the Royal Thai Air Force machine gun F-5 DShK .
• On February 11, 1982, the F-5E was forced to land an aircraft An-26B (b / n 26264) of the Vietnam Air Force, which took part in the operation against Khmer Rouge troops in Kampuchea and accidentally violated Thai airspace near the city of Pailin. The An-26 crew tried to make an emergency landing on a rice field, but at the end of the run the plane caught a parapet, as a result of which the front and right landing gears broke, and the nose of the fuselage suffered significant damage. One of the 13 people on board died, two more were injured.
• In 1987-1988, over the territory of Laos and on the Thai-Kampuchean border, three Royal Thai Air Force F-5s were hit by Strela-2M MANPADS , two aircraft were able to reach the base ^[28] .

Kampuchean-Vietnamese conflict

In 1978, the Vietnamese army used the captured F-5s against the Khmer Rouge. Moreover, F-5s were used in the same squadron with the MiG-21. For fights in Cambodia, two F-5 pilots were awarded the title Hero of the People’s Army ^[29] .

Iran-Iraq War

For all time, 330 F-5s were delivered to Iran: 104 F-5A, 13 RF-5A, 24 F-5B, 171 F-5E and 28 F-5F ^[30] .

By the start of the war, Iran possessed 166 F-5E / F Tiger II aircraft. Иранские F-5 использовались для нанесения ударов по наземным целям и завоевания господства в воздухе, где встретились в реальных боях с МиГами. 25 июня 1980 года иранский F-5 нарушил воздушное пространство Ирака и был сбит ЗРК С-125, пилот погиб. 18 сентября иранский F-5 был сбит огнём с земли при попытке атаковать иракскую технику в Хузестане, пилот погиб. В этот же день в Зарбатии при попытке атаковать наземную технику огнём ЗУ-23-2 был сбит ещё один «Тигр», пилот взят в плен.

22 сентября на аэродроме Вахдати в Дизфуле 3 иранских F-5 было уничтожено в результате удара МиГ-23БН ^[31] .

23 сентября в ответ на иракские авианалёты, Иран начал операцию «Каман-99» . В ней участвовали 88 «Тигров», 58 « Фантомов » и 60 « Томкэтов ». F-14 барражировали в воздухе над иранской территорией для защиты от возможных иракских авиаударов. F-5 и F-4 нанесли удары по иракским авиабазам. Над Мосулом группу из 4 иранских «Тигров» атаковал один иракский МиГ-21. В результате воздушного боя было сбито два F-5, оба пилота погибли. В ходе повторной атаки было сбито ещё два F-5. Над воздушной базой Насириах один «Тигр» был сбит иракским МиГ-23 и один огнём с земли, пилоты погибли. Ещё два «Тигра» было сбито над Дизфулем иранскими зенитчиками после возвращения с нанесения удара. Всего этот день стоил Ирану в 9 F-5 ^[32] . На следующий день Иран потерял два F-5E, первый был сбит своими зенитчиками над Дизфулем, пилот погиб, другой был сбит над Киркуком иракским МиГ-23, пилот взят в плен. 25 сентября над территорией Ирака было сбито два «Тигра», оба пилота погибли.

В начале октября иранский F-5E был сбит иракским истребителем МиГ-21МФ, пилот погиб. Первые победы иранские F-5 одержали 17 октября сбив два Су-20 , в этот день один «Тигр» был сбит иракским МиГ-21бис, пилот взят в плен. 23 октября в бою с одним иракским МиГ-21МФ (М.Райян) было потеряно два F-5E, судьба пилотов неизвестна. 1 ноября МиГ-21МФ с помощью ракеты Р-13 сбил иранский F-5E, пилот погиб. 14 ноября иранский F-5E был сбит ракетой Р-13 выпущенной МиГ-23МС, пилот погиб. 21 ноября иранский F-5E (С.Раад) атаковал иракский МиГ-21МФ, во время маневрирования иракский самолёт разбился. 24 ноября этот же иранский пилот огнём 20 мм пушки сбил ещё один иракский МиГ-21МФ. 26 ноября произошёл крупный воздушный бой F-5E с иракскими МиГ-21бис, F-5E Раада огнём 20 мм пушки подбил иракский МиГ-21бис, во время маневрирования иракский самолёт врезался в землю и взорвался. «Тигр», пилотируемый А.Занджани был атакован МиГ-21бис (А.Лоуаби). Иранский пилот смог увернуться от двух ракет, тогда А.Лоуаби пошёл на таран. Оба самолёта взорвались. Ещё один F-5E был сбит ракетой Р-60, выпущенной МиГ-21 (Ноуфаль), пилот погиб. 3 декабря иранский F-5E огнём 20 мм пушки сбил иракский вертолёт Ми-8 . Согласно некоторым источникам 5 декабря иранскому F-5 удалось сбить иракский МиГ-23, при этом сам иранский самолёт был тяжело повреждён. 16 декабря иракский МиГ-23 сбил F-5E С.Раада, иранскому пилоту удалось катапультироваться.

14 января 1981 иранским F-5E удалось сбить три иракских вертолёта. Один Ми-25 был сбит с помощью ракеты AIM-9P и два Ми-8 были сбиты 20 мм пушками. В начале мая три F-5E было сбито иракскими МиГ-21МФ. 26 февраля 1982 года иранские F-5 впервые встретились с иракскими истребителями Mirage F1 , в результате один «Тигр» был сбит ракетой. 1 апреля ещё один F-5E был сбит иракским «Миражом» с помощью ракеты R.550 Magic, пилот Казани погиб. Следующие воздушные победы иранские F-5E одержали в конце октября, сбив из 20 мм пушек вертолёт Sa.342M и два Ми-8. 20 ноября иранские F-5E с помощью ракет AIM-9P сбили вертолёт Ми-8 и истребитель МиГ-21МФ.

6 августа 1983 года по западным источникам произошёл воздушный бой иранских F-14A, F-5E и иракского МиГ-25, в результате которого МиГ был потерян.

13 ноября иранский F-5E был сбит над Ахвазом иракским истребителем МиГ-21, пилот погиб. 3 июня 1984 года иранский F-5E вылетел с авиабазы Табриз на перехват иракского бомбардировщика и был уничтожен попаданием ракеты Р-40 с иракского МиГ-25ПД, пилот погиб. В этом же году один иранский F-5E был сбит иракским Mirage F1 с помощью ракеты Super 530F. 13 февраля 1986 года иранские F-5 впервые встретились с истребителями МиГ-23МЛ. В результате один «Тигр» был уничтожен ракетой Р-24, пилот Вардзар погиб. В апреле 1986 иранский F-5E с помощью ракеты AIM-9P сбил иракский Су-20. 1 февраля 1987 года иранский F-5E был сбит неизвестным истребителем. 17 февраля иранский F-5E (Б.Наср-Абади) был сбит над Урмией иракским истребителем Mirage F1, судьба пилота неизвестна. В этом же году иранский F-5E (пилот М.Варастех взят в плен) был сбит иракским штурмовиком Hunter. Последняя воздушная победа иранских F-5E была одержана 25 ноября, когда с помощью ракеты AIM-9P был сбит иракский Су-22, пилот взят в плен.

За всё время войны иранские F-5 одержали по крайней мере 18 воздушных побед (6 Ми-8 , 5 МиГ-21 , 3 Су-20 , 1 Су-22 , 1 Су-7 , 1 Ми-25 и 1 Sa.342 ). Также, согласно неподтверждённой информации, одна победа была одержана над МиГ-23 в 1980 году и одна победа была в 1983 году над МиГ-25 в результате совместных действий «Томкэтов» и «Тигров» (согласно другим источникам, первая боевая потеря МиГ-25 произошла лишь в 1985 году ^[33] ). Потери в воздушных боях составили не менее 26 самолётов (в том числе 13 сбили МиГ-21, 6 МиГ-23 , 4 Mirage F.1 , 1 МиГ-25 и 1 Hunter ) ^{[34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40]} .

Это единственный конфликт в котором F-5 столкнулись с истребителями МиГ-23 в реальном бою. После нескольких безуспешных воздушных боёв с советскими самолётами иранцы решили перенацелить «Тигры» на проведение наземных операций. Как указывали западные исследователи причиной неудач иранских F-5 стало мощное вооружение МиГ-23. В одном из боёв с МиГ-23МФ повреждённый «Тигр» вынужден был приземлиться на иракский аэродром и был захвачен. С МиГ-23МЛ известно об одном столкновении, в нём «Тигр» был уничтожен ракетой, пилот погиб ^[41] .

By the end of the war, no more than 15% of the 166 available F-5E / F remained in operational condition, and 85 Tigers were irretrievably lost ^{[42] [43] [44]} .

Second Sudanese Civil War

In 1982, Sudan received 10 F-5E and 2 F-5F. Two "Tiger" was stolen in Ethiopia, one has been sold in Jordan, one crashed in 1985, and three F-5 was shot down by rebels ^[45] .

Rebellion in the Philippines

At the end of 1989, officers dissatisfied with the presidency revolted. To suppress it, they decided to use the F-5. In one of the attacks, Freedom Fighters mistakenly shot a group of their own government soldiers, more than 25 of whom died and were injured. In another case, the F-5A, trying to attack a ground target, crashed into the ground and exploded ^[15] .

Operation Desert Storm

Saudi Arabia's F-5s were used to strike Saddam Hussein’s troops. One was shot down by Iraqi air defense forces .

Kenya

Kenyan F-5s have been used during Operation Linda Nchi since 2011, as well as after its completion. They bombed the forces of the Islamists Al-Shabab in Somalia . During the operation, three Tigers were lost:

• On October 25, 2011, two Kenyan F-5s collided and crashed near Kismayu , the fate of the pilots is unknown ^[46] .
• December 4, 2014 near Kismayu launch MANPADS was shot down Kenyan F-5, the pilot died ^[47] .

Turkish-Greek conflict

The Greek F-5s carried out sorties during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. They participated in air skirmishes with Turkish F-102 fighters. On July 22, according to Greece , F-5 was shot down by two Turkish F-102s, while Turkey , in turn, stated that its two F-102s were shot down by Greek Fried Fighters. Officially, both sides denied casualties in aerial combat. ^[48]

Yemen Civil War

In 1979, 11 F-5E and 3 RF-5F were delivered to South Yemen. In the 1980s, they attacked the troops of North Yemen.

Participated in the 1994 war, presumably one F-5 was shot down. It is known about one aerial victory of F-5E northerners over MiG-21 southerners ^[49] .

Three Yemeni F-5s were destroyed at airfields during Saudi air strikes in 2015 (the first two on April 29, the third on May 4).

Other Conflicts

• Iranian Air Force carried out reconnaissance flights on the F-5, piloted by American and Iranian pilots, over the Soviet Union in the late 60s and 70s. Flying from Tabriz F-5B, piloted by Iranian pilot Dekhar Ghani, was shot down. The pilot was captured and extradited to the Iranian side. It was assumed that two more RF-5 Iranian air forces were shot down ^[50] .
• On January 8, 1981, the Taiwanese F-5F was hijacked to China.
• During a mutiny in the Venezuelan Air Force in November 1992, OV-10 Bronco rebel aircraft destroyed five to eight government F-5A ^{[51] [52]} .
• During the civil war in Nicaragua, a Nicaraguan Mi-17 helicopter was shot down by a Honduran F-5 ^{[ when? ] [53]} .

The exact number of F-5 losses remains unknown. According to known data, at least 300 aircraft crashed, but this is without taking into account about 200 F-5s of the lost air forces of South Vietnam. ^[54]

On February 28, 1977, during a training air battle between F-5E fighters and the newest F-15A , the Tiger accidentally rammed its opponent. The pilot F-15 catapulted, F-5 with injuries was able to land ^[55] .

Main article Aggressor (squadron) . F-5E and later F-5N (version F-5E with special equipment for practicing training battles) and F-5F are used in the US Air Force and Navy at Top Gun school as fighters of a likely enemy, simulating Soviet and Russian aircraft, in particular MiG-21. In the hands of experienced instructors, an airplane painted in the air force patterns of a likely enemy (blue, black or sand tones with red stars on keels) often comes out the winner in training battles with such more modern and maneuverable machines as F-15, F-16 and F / A-18 mainly because of its visual inconspicuity due to its small size and perfect tactics. So, the F-5 is very difficult to visually notice at a distance of already 5 miles with a frontal projection. Moreover, it was in the battle with the F-5 that the first F-15 was lost, the Tiger accidentally crashed into an opponent, and the F-15 pilot ejected.

The F-5 currently uses the following Aggressor squadrons: VFC-13 (Nas Fallon (Top Gun School), Nevada), VFC-111 (NAS Key West, Florida) and VMFT-401 (MCAS Yuma, Arizona ) Previously, the F-5 used the 527th Aggressor Squadron, VF-126 and VFA-127 as well as the Top Gun squadron (before the VFC-13 became the Top Gun squadron, the Top Gun squadron, according to Dave Baranek (former school instructor), was not numbered .

Data source: Jane's, 1975.

* thrust-to-weight ratio and wing load are variable, in this case we are talking about maximum take-off weight with bombs and fuel. In other sources, it can be calculated from the normal take-off mass, For example, with a normal take-off mass for the F-5E of 7100 kg, the wing load will be 410 kg, the thrust ratio is 0.59.

• To the cinema:
  • in the film “Top Gun” : the F-5E and F-5F Top Gun squadrons, specially painted in black for the film, played the main role of the fictional MiG-28. After that, some F-5E and F-5F were also painted black with red stars on the keels, in particular for playing the role of MiG-28 at various air shows. Black Tigers are in service with the VFC-13 The Saints squadron and until 1996 in the VFA-127.
  • Red Flag: The Ultimate Game ,
  • " Hot heads! ",
  • Apocalypse Today
  • in the Japanese animated series " Area 88 ";
• In computer games: DLC F-5E Tiger II for Digital Combat Simulator , as well as Jane's Fighters Anthology and Ace Combat series, Tom Clancy's HAWX

• HESA Saeqeh (Iran)

• Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1975-76 / Taylor, John WR ed .. - London: Macdonald and Jane's, 1975 .-- P. 408-410. - 830 p. - ISBN 0-354-00521-9 .
• Loftin LK, Jr. Appendix A. Physical and Performance Data. // Quest for performance: The evolution of modern aircraft . - Washington, DC: NASA Scientific and Technical Information Branch, 1985.
• Johnsen, Frederick A. Northrop F-5 / F-20 / T-38. - North Branch, MN, USA: Specialty Press, 2006 .-- 104 p. - (WarbirdTech Vol. 44). - ISBN 1-58007-094-9 .
• Nikolsky M. Fighter "Free World". About the F-5 aircraft and its modifications (Russian) // Wings of the Motherland . - M. , 2000. - No. 2 . - S. 9-13 . - ISSN 0130-2701 .